Shani Shingnapur temple allows women inside inner sanctum

The Shani Shingnapur trust today allowed women devotees to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the famous temple.

The temple in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district has traditionally banned women from entering the shrine's sacred platform.

After days of confrontation, the Shani Shingnapur trust today allowed women devotees to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the famous temple. Earlier today, dozens of male devotees broke barricades to enter the innermost area of the temple in violation of the trust's restrictions on both male and female devotees.

The temple in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district has traditionally banned women from entering the shrine's sacred platform.

Sayaram Bankar, a trustee of Shani Shingnapur temple, said the trustees held a meeting today and decided to facilitate unrestricted entry to all devotees including men and women, in keeping with the high court directive.

Last week, the Bombay High Court had ruled that it is the fundamental right of women to go into places of worship.

Meanwhile, activists of Bhumata Ranragini Brigade alongwith their leader Trupti Desai have left for the temple to offer prayers.

"Der se aye lekin durust aye (better late than never)," Desai said reacting to the development. "We are happy that the temple trustees have taken a wise decision," she added.

In January, a group of around 1500 women activists, tried to forcibly enter the Shani Shingnapur temple but were stopped by cops.

The Maharashtra government has promised the Bombay High Court that it will enforce a law which will have provision to jail a person for six months for preventing anyone from offering prayers at a temple.

"There is no place for discrimination in Hindu culture. We will implement the honourable high court's decision in true spirit," CM Devendra Fadnavis had said earlier.